“I finally figured out at the age of 15, that I was a victim of domestic abuse by my father.” These are the powerful words of Madison Tabet, the newly crowned Miss New Mexico. Tabet visited Atrisco Heritage Academy High School recently to speak to a group of AHA newspaper students.
Tabet, 19, has chosen domestic violence and dating violence as the issue she will talk about this year while representing New Mexico. She will compete for the title of Miss America in Las Vegas in January.
Tabet grew up in Albuquerque and went to Hope Christian School from kindergarten through 12th grade. Her mother, Dianne, graduated from Rio Grande High School in 1980. Madison is a dancer, and has a college scholarship to a performing arts school in Pittsburg, Pa. Tabet has been dancing since she was 18 months old, she said.
“Dancing completely got time through the roughest times in my life,” Tabet said. “I want to use the power of words to talk about the signs of domestic violence and to help people realize they have to get out of this abuse before it gets verbal or physical.”
With domestic violence being something close to her heart, she decided to make that issue her platform. A platform is a cause that all the Miss America contestants choose to support during their year as a state winner. Choosing to inform people about domestic violence was easy for Tabet to choose.
“I was 17 when I just knew this wasn’t the family situation any of us needed to be in,” Tabet said.
When asked about pageant life and what it takes to get ready to compete, Tabet said it is a mix of physical fitness, poise and understanding current events well enough to handle the questioning of the judges in January.
“It’s very nerve wracking,” Tabet said. “The pressure is enormous. But I am doing all I can to be ready to answer any question, whether it be about politics, the war and education.”
Tabet was quick to thank her mother and her two younger brothers for helping her get to this point.
“My mom helped me though all of the hard work,” she said. “She gave me a sense of self-worth and self-confidence.”
